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A&M/UMe

A&M/UMeSting‘s third solo album, The Soul Cages, was released 30 years ago this week, and to mark the milestone anniversary, the former Police frontman has issued an expanded digital-only version of the record.

Originally released in January 1991, The Soul Cages peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 and at #1 on the U.K. album chart. It includes the single “All This Time,” which reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock tallies. The album’s title track went on to win a Grammy for Best Rock Song in 1992.

The general theme of The Soul Cages focuses on Sting’s sense of loss following the death of his father. Among the musicians who contributed to the record were Sting’s longtime guitarist Dominic Miller, keyboardists David Sancious and the late Kenny Kirkland, and sax player Branford Marsalis. Sting sang lead on all of the songs and also played bass, mandolin and synthesizer.

The reissue features the album’s original nine songs, as well as 13 bonus tracks. Among the extra tracks are four alternate versions of “Mad About You,” including an Italian version and three remixes; as well as a Spanish version and extended mix of “Why Should I Cry for You.”

Other bonus cuts include single edits of “All This Time” and “The Soul Cages,” a live cover of Squeeze‘s “Tempted,” and a rendition of Elton John‘s “Come Down in Time” that originally appeared on the 1991 tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin.  Seven of the 13 extra tracks have never been released digitally.

Here’s the full track list of the expanded edition of The Soul Cages:

“Island of Souls”
“All This Time”
“Mad About You”
“Jeremiah Blues (Part 1)”
“Why Should I Cry for You”
“Saint Agnes and the Burning Train”
“The Wild Wild Sea”
“The Soul Cages”
“When the Angels Fall”

Bonus Tracks:
“I Miss You Kate” (Instrumental)
“Come Down in Time”*
“Tempted” (Live)*
“Ne Me Quitte Pas” (Live)*
“Oo La La Hugh”*
“Mad About You” (Original Remix)*
“Mad About You” (Remix Edit)*
“Mad About You” (12″ Remix)*
“Mad About You” (Italian Version)
“Why Should I Cry for You” (Spanish Version)
“Why Should I Cry for You” (Extended Mix)
“The Soul Cages” (Edit)
“All This Time” (Edit)

* = not previously available digitally.

By Matt Friedlander
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